Disabled man in Minion suit attacked in Daytona; suspect says it was for video

Tony Holt @TonyCrimeWriter

Wednesday

Jul 11, 2018 at 4:59 PMJul 12, 2018 at 7:58 AM

DAYTONA BEACH — Maybe you've seen him, he's the guy on Main Street outside of Jungle George's dressed like a Minion, having his picture taken with children.

On Sunday, he was taking kicks to the head and groin by a 25-year-old social media prankster who was hoping to create a viral video, witnesses said.

Jamie Roehm, 40, is partially blind and mentally disabled, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department. His accused attacker, Ryan Nihart, was charged with battery and criminal mischief. He was released on his own recognizance from the Volusia County Branch Jail on Monday, according to court records.

Nihart told police and bystanders that he was playing a prank. He calls himself "Bouje Ratche" on social media. He identified himself as an "Instagram star" to the crowd that had surrounded him.

"I was just kidding, bro," Nihart could be heard saying on the video. "We were just doing a prank."

Nihart, as of Wednesday, had 1,877 followers on Instagram.

Roehm lives in Ormond Beach and has worked for the past year for Jungle George's, an airbrush and gift store at 1022 Main St. On Sunday, he was dressed in his favorite costume, a Minion suit. Minions are yellow creatures featured in the 2010 film "Despicable Me," as well as its subsequent sequel and self-titled spinoff.

An arrest report gave no indication as to what motivated Nihart to attack Roehm, but Roehm's boss, George St. Pierre, said it was likely a social media stunt.

Pierre said he was one of the two men who pinned down Nihart so that responding police officers could arrest him. The suspect kept talking to him.

"He kept telling me, 'I'm going to make you famous,' " Pierre told The News-Journal. "I guess he wanted to be on YouTube."

A camera inside the business captured the incident, which took place shortly after 7:30 p.m. Police released the video, along with the responding officer's body camera footage, to the News-Journal on Wednesday.

At one point, Roehm was approached by two males and a female. One of the males was holding a phone and recording the conversation between Roehm and the suspect.

"He asked me if I wanted to wrestle and I shook my head no," Roehm could be heard on the video telling the police officer. The store video shows Roehm shaking his head.

Seconds after Roehm shook his head, the suspect picked up Roehm and twirled him around four times.

After the suspect let go of him, Roehm started leaning against a tree. That's when the suspect kicked him from behind, striking him him in the groin area. The suspect then kicked Roehm in the face and tackled him to the ground.

Afterward, the suspect crouched down and grabbed Roehm's legs. That's when an employee came out of the store and wrestled the suspect to the ground. Pierre came outside a short time later and helped his employee pin the suspect on the sidewalk. They waited two minutes for a police officer to show up, according to the video.

Pierre said the two other people in the video were the suspect's girlfriend and and male friend. The pair left the scene and neither was arrested.

Roehm declined medical attention. He suffered bruising to his left forearm near his elbow, according to police.

Pierre said Roehm was shaken after the attack. He was in the back of the business crying and worried about whether he would lose his job. Pierre said he assured him it was not his fault and that he would remain employed.

"I was outside doing my job," Roehm said Wednesday to The News-Journal. "I love my job. Nothing makes me prouder than to come out and entertain these kids."

On a video he posted on YouTube, Nihart apologized.

"So, I messed up this week, guys," he said. "I am so sorry. I apologize to anybody that I offended or anybody that I will offend. But now I am on the news for something that was a big misunderstanding. I really was trying to make a funny video."

Roehm rejected Nihart's explanation.

"It wasn't funny at all," he said. "It shouldn't happen.

"Getting treated like that, that wasn't cool."

After being contacted by The News-Journal, Nihart said he needed to consult with his manager before commenting for a story. He never got back to the reporter who reached out to him.

Police said the $300 Minion suit was destroyed during the attack, which led to the suspect's criminal mischief charge.

Pierre insisted on pressing charges against Nihart.

"Today's youth are idiots," he said.

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